The FN Comet
by Johanna Xarricken
Summary: This is the story of secrets, and how one woman was saved, even when she never expected she needed to be saved.
1. Chapter 1

Far beneath the surface of the sea, a small group of skilled waterbenders pushed hard against the full weight of the ocean, propelling what looked like a metal egg towards the bottom. Four people had managed to squeeze in besides, and all were gazing intently through the thick glass of the front panel. Few had ever been down this far; even fewer had ever seen the skeleton on the sea bed, draped in sheets of deepest and purest blue.

Pok again laid eyes on his study, his life, _his treasure._ For so long, he had dreamed of the day he might come to see the lost airship. And now, it was his third mission down. The FN Comet was only an empty hull, but in that shell were secrets waiting to be uncovered.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Pok asked, his eyes sparkling in the dim light filtering down from above. "It still gets me when it appears out of nowhere, like a..."

"A ghost?," quipped his assistant, Meng, with a mischievous smile.

"Just think, eighty years ago, Captain Quin Li was flying high in the sky, without any inkling of what would happen..." Pok mused, ignoring, or perhaps not noticing the jibe. The craft moved forward, skirting the knife-like bow, and bobbing over the top. "Look, there's the maintenance entrance! Take us down." The small hatch where the balloon frame attached to the body of the engine was a dark square against the aged steel.

The waterbenders moved their arms in a circular motion, keeping the vessel a few feet above the opening. The small hatch in the submarine was unfastened. Pok, and his long-time friend Kamu, who bore a grey wolftail, scooted forward in the tiny vessel. They slid through the opening, suspended in a precise bubble over the wreck. Iluk pulled the door shut again, and Meng watched as her captain swam down into his ship.

Pok had gone over the floor plans with Kamu time and time again, Meng reminded herself. He knew where the state rooms were, and what he was supposed to be looking for. But would the master bender be able to make it that far and back before they ran out of air? Meng dismissed her doubts. Pok knew--they researched every type of Fire Nation locking vessel from that era—if _anything_ with a dragon on it came up, it was coming with them.

Minutes dragged by. It seemed to take hours for each second to pass. Colorless deep sea life floated by, uncaring, if not untroubled about the strange craft in their midst. Species never seen before were appearing, and Meng studiously scratched ink marks onto paper, detailing what she observed, trying to quell the nervous boiling in her belly.

A fish with big teeth and a light on its head, how interesting. Had she been hired as a biologist, Meng would have eagerly tried to capture such a specimen, to study its little bioluminescent dangly. It looked absolutely terrifying, with those horrible teeth and claws. She pictured steel beams, rotting beneath the enormous pressure, like the teeth of the angler snapping up an empty-handed Pok...

It seemed the young woman could not take her mind off the man leading the expedition. Should he be this long away? His air supply would be running low, and if Kamu let up his bending for even a fraction of a second, their bodies would be crushed in less time it took than to gasp. With eyes trained only on the dark hole, Meng worried her fingers around the hem of her shirt. Then, a few faint bubbles caught the scant light. A collective breath was held, and released in great relief as Kamu in his bubble suit bobbed towards them, with a trove of treasures floating behind him.

Meng noted the large, ornate cube with curling dragons on every corner.

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Most of the artifacts Kamu had collected were safe boxes, filled with baubles and very soggy currency notes. But the little containers were of no importance to Pok. His heart was set on the safe. Jensu, the resident metal bender, carefully worked open the antique locks, manipulating the clasps, trying to preserve as much of the item as possible. It in itself was a valuable artifact, a priceless example of workmanship. The Firelord himself had used this safe, stored his personal belongings there, and today was the day they would see daylight after 85 years!

Pok could hardly stand the wait as Jensu twiddled the locks. He would rather have taken the Beifong approach, ripped the door off, and asked questions later! But the integrity of their finds had to be preserved, just so the officials who were funding him would have _something _worthwhile.

"Nervous, cappy?" Meng joked, sliding her arm around her close friend.

"I've got a feeling," Pok said, smiling triumphantly. Someone behind him popped a bottle of champagne, drenching the tightly wound crew, and spewing foamy goodness over the gush of red sludge from inside the safe. Jensu moved aside so Pok could kneel before his quarry. Hands shaking, the man from the Northern Water Tribe carefully pawed through the muck. His searching grew more frantic. There were only water-logged papers! Then he spied a thin side compartment, with some sort of box in it. He drew out the object, and found it was instead a book. Pok flipped through it. Nothing. "It's not in here."

Meng sighed as Pok dejectedly slumped to the deck, still holding the book open on his messy lap. She handed him an open flask of liquor. "There's always tomorrow."

"Not for them, there wasn't."

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Sunlight poured in through the simple windows of the house, illuminating a woman with long locks of snowy hair at an easel covered in new flat parchment, sabel-tipped brush in hand.

_"Rising with the sun_

_A tradition so imposed_

_As one's own bloodline."_

The characters flowed gracefully from her fingers that had long ago curved like claws due to arthritis. They shook with the effort to hold the brush aloft, and she set it on the tray next to her. How horrible growing old was, she thought. Sighing, she peered around the room, taking in the wonderful warm morning light. It made her bones ache less to be in the sun and the presence of her favorite poems.

"Great grandmother? I'm back! I have the oysterfish you wanted," called her youngest descendant, Lu Ten. Finally, he returned from his errand to the market to pick up her latest craving. She pushed herself up from the stool and hobbled into the entry room where a teenaged boy was struggling to keep a hold on all of them.

"Did you remember the fruit tart?"

Lu slapped his forehead. "Aw, I knew there was something!" He put the packages of food and goods in a heap on a nearby table. "I was just so caught up and excited to tell you the news, I forgot about it completely! I'll be back in a flash, don't you worry!"

"What news do you have? I'm sure the tart can wait, if your story was so important as to cause you to forget what I sent you for in the first place," Her old body plopped into a chair, and Lu pulled up a seat to share his findings.

"I was looking for a good oysterfish when I overheard these two fisherman talking about that Water Tribe treasure hunter. You know, the one searching for the place where the Comet went down?" The woman nodded, a smile of intrigue playing across her lips. "Well, he found it. In fact, he brought up some artifacts, including a high-security portable vault."

"I'll be damned."

"Grandmother?"

"Pack your bags, Lu Ten. We're going to the Bay of Ba Sing Se."

Authors Note: Yes, you can see what I'm doing here. But can you see where I'm going? Probably not. Stay tuned! :)


	2. Chapter 2

"Pok! We've got company!" Meng shouted, bursting through the captain's door and disrupting his daily cup of tea.

"Oh? Well, did you tell them this is a closed expedition, and anyone I didn't hire isn't allowed on my ship?" He inhaled the jasmine steam, wafting and trying to lose himself in morning ritual.

"Cappy, you want to see these people," Meng insisted.

He sighed. "So, pirates? Tourists? More archeological preservation enthusiasts?" His teacup clinked down on the desk, sadly growing colder.

"An old woman and her grandson."

Pok leveled a glare. Meng remained deadly serious. He slumped in defeat. "Fine. Send them in. Some new lace doilies are just what my office needed anyways."

Meng bowed slightly. The door creaked open behind her.

An tall slender woman shuffled in, dressed in a fine burgundy robe with gold trim, followed by a boy with dark hair and a yellow and green outfit. She stopped next to Meng and bowed as low as her creaky back would let her. The boy did the same. Her smile looked dangerous.

He stood up, bowed tersely, and said, "And what can I do for you, Madame?"

"Pok, is it?" the old woman asked. The captain nodded his brown-thatched head. "Tell me, Pok, have you found the Tear of Agni yet?"

The Water Tribe scholar eyed her, and turned to Meng.

"I told you that you had to see them."

"I'm listening."

"There was a book of drawings you pulled up the other day..."she stopped, motioned for Lu to pull up a chair. Her legs weren't quite up for standing still. "One of them depicted a young woman: long raven hair and senbon in her hands, wearing the pendant. Am I right?"

Pok was astounded. His letter to the Council of Ba Sing Se told of the pictures, but not detailing the subjects. How could anyone outside this ship know?

"I can see you're surprised. I was too, when I heard that you'd found Firelord Zuko's safe, the ugly thing that it is. But that's the credo of the Fire Nation, I suppose. If it's important, slap a dragon, or the word 'fire' on it," she mused.

"How do you know about this?"

"The Tear of Agni is the only valuable thing left on The Comet. None of the money or trinkets left by the other wealthy passengers would even dare measure up to its worth." Lu was just as surprised, never dreaming that his great grandmother knew anything about the mysterious and tragic failed airship cruise, let alone what a past Firelord kept in his room.

"But how do you know?" Pok demanded.

Her smile turned melancholy. "I'm the woman in the drawing. The Tear was my engagement necklace."


	3. Chapter 3

"There was somebody by the name of Maikka aboard the Han Zho the day after the Comet sank," Meng said, flipping through the pages of beaurocracy as she and Pok made their way across the deck. "No last name was given. It's like she just appeared, and with steerage besides! Census records show nothing for years before she settled down with the Zun Sen family in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se where she became quite the haiku writer."

"Haiku?" Pok looked through the pages, surpised at the the amount of information the Council had sent by messenger hawk. He opened a door, revealing a room of hunched over scholars, picking bits of grime off of the recently surfaced artifacts.

"Yeah, Five Seven Five Society."

Pok snorted. "So she's a performer, an actress!" He looked over a comb adorned with jade flowers.

"You think she's a faker? Like the Avatar cosplayers?" Meng took the comb and put it back on the table.

"No, I never said that. I just have a feeling there's something she's hiding."

"What are you going to do?"

Pok thought for a moment, stroking his hairless chin. "I think...I'm going to listen to what she has to say."

"Do you think you have anything to learn? I mean, we already know that the necklace went down with the ship. Zuko declared it lost forever as soon as he got back."

"Yes, but I have a feeling."

Meng sighed. "That's what you said about the box."

"And look what it got us."

She was silent.

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Later that evening, Pok and most of his crew were escorting Maikka to the newly reorganized collection of items they pulled up. Her steps, though slow and hindered by arthritis, were light, and she wore a sad but implacable smile. Tables were lined with the clean objects and a shallow tank at one end of the room held the waterlogged pictures from the leather sketch book.

"Oh…" the old woman ran her hands over an ivory figure going through a water bending motion. "This was carved by Avatar Aang for his sweetheart." She turned it over, showing them the three stylized spirals indicating the Air Nomad culture. "He loved her. I remember the night he presented it to Katara." Setting it back down, she moved along, fondling items and gasping when she saw something familiar. Finally, Maikka stood at the tank. Her fingers trailed through the water.

"Grandmother?" Lu wrapped his arm around her. She smiled sweetly as Pok came to her side.

"Wasn't I a dish?"

The picture was beautiful in itself, a languorous woman stretched out on a couch, her hair cascading around her and a fistful of senbon resting near her forehead. Lu eyed the naked model suspiciously.

"This is you?"

Maikka was taken aback. "Of course it is. I only posed like this once." She closed her eyes, and saw the artist sketching and blushing. When she opened them again, her eye caught the original blueprints for the airship.

Well, she's either a damn good actress, or I've got something here, Pok thought. "Can you take us back, Maikka?"

"Mai."

"What?"

"My name was Mai," she said, still captivated by the layout. "Lady Mai, betrothed of Firelord Zuko, companion to Master Katara and Avatar Aang."

"Lady Mai died that night," Meng stated.

"I know. I was there. It's been 84 years, but…"

"Just try to remember anything you can, Mai," Pok implored. He was delivered a sharp glare.

"Do you want to hear my story or not?...I thought so. As I was saying, it's been 84 years, and I can still smell the coal smoke, hear the crowds sending us off, the roar of the motors…The Comet was said to be a ship of dreams, of a new era, and it was…"


	4. Chapter 4

The sun was blinding as the scarlet curtains of our palanquin were drawn back, and the strong sea wind carried the scent of the teeming masses on the docks, waiting to be inspected, boarded and tied down. I saw for the first time the FN Comet, a great dark ship against the background of Sin Zeng Bay, held down by the strong ropes and cords of the Earth Kingdom. Men shouted directions, women cried as their sons, brothers, daughters, sisters and cousins trooped up the gang planks and babes in arm wailed with the gulls in the air.

Being the Firelady-to-be, I was free from the pressing dirty hands searching out boarlice and disease, the tiny bunks and warm stale air of steerage. But I was still being taken back to the Fire Nation in chains, despite all outward appearances.

Zuko, who sat beside me, smiled warmly, and descended from his spot in the palanquin. He studied the ship for a moment, and then turned back to me and extended his hand. It was smooth, warm and soft with the mental labor of ruling a nation and expensive crèmes and salves applied by our servants every morning. As I stepped down, the details of the Comet came into focus.

"It certainly doesn't seem larger than Azula's warship," I snipped.

Zuko's eyebrow popped up. "Of course it is. By two hundred feet at least, and way more luxurious. We're not hauling soldiers anymore," he chuckled.

"Really Mai, you're far too hard to please." Katara tittered as she approached us, fresh from her and Aang's palanquin. "Though with the peasants abounding, I might feel better if there were soldiers to keep them in line. Heavens forbid we have another Ba Sing Se incident."

"Katara, you were once like them, remember?"

"Oh Aang…you're so naive."

The tattooed Avatar sighed and rubbed his head, averting his eyes from the richly dressed master waterbender.

If her nose could have been held any higher, I believe her neck might have snapped.

The sea of people parted as the guards pushed them aside, making way for the most important people in the world: The Last Airbender, the revolutionary Firelord who singlehandedly took a warmongering society and changed it into the most industrious and charitable nation, the exotic beauty from the South Pole, and the pale panda lily who was once the cohort of the vile Azula.

I felt utterly ridiculous being escorted past the happy faces of the lower class. I seem to remember one of them was even foaming at the mouth.

We trooped up the plank into the greeting room, where nobles and high-ranking merchants fawned over the new guests, shelling out chaste little kisses and bows, wondering how smooth the ride was going to be, and if their breakables would be safe in the hands of the help. By all outward appearances, I was everything a young woman in my position should be, but on the inside, I was screaming.


	5. Chapter 5

"I can't believe you bet our tickets!" Toph pulled Sokka aside from the card-littered table by his collar, tapping her foot impatiently. She liked her gambling, but he took it too far this time.

"Relax, I've got this under control," he said, plucking the material from her grip.

"I know you're lying!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "You wouldn't be taking nearly as long if you had a good hand!"

The men sitting at the table smirked at each other, already congratulating themselves for an easy win and a free trip.

"Read 'em and weep, wee baby!" said the tall one. Two Emperors, and three threes.

Sokka whimpered.

"Check this out!" And the short ugly one laid down four sevens and an ace.

The last one disgustedly threw down his own hand and walked out.

Sokka meekly cleared his throat. "Maybe I should just follow him…"

"Uh-uh, you got us in this mess, I wanna know what you had so I can beat you!" Toph growled and slapped his hand down. There was absolute silence. She blinked her misty green eyes a few times. "What do you have? Everyone's heartbeat just jumped four or five notches."

"Um, well, there aren't any matches, but they do all have the little flame symbol on them. Let's see, I had the Fire Lord, a Fire Lady, a prince, a ten, and one of those ace-y things," he looked at the faces across from them. He found nothing but loathing and contempt.

"Snoozles, you idiot! You unbelievably lucky idiot!" Toph grabbed him by the ears and hugged her friend.

"Is that good?"

"That's the best hand you could ever get!" The blind girl gave a loud whoop and scooped up their winnings from the table.

And then the revelation hit Sokka.

"I won! We still get to fly!" He celebrated, jumping up and down with Toph a few more times.

"No, mate, The Comet flies now!" said the friendly barkeeper.

Still laughing, the pair darted out of the crowded pub, weaving through the throng towards the docks.

"Sokka, I swear if you ever do anything that stupid again, I will bury you alive!" Toph laughed as the young man pulled her behind him.

"Oh no, it's already taken off!" Sokka cried in dismay.

"Remember Sozin's Comet?"

"Yeah, why…"

"Get ready for a rerun! Which way is the airship?"

"It's- s" He barely pointed to the sky when he felt the ground heave them up. They barely managed to land on the open deck when a very surprised porter approached them.

"You there, you can't do that!"

"Relax!" Toph said, brushing herself off. "We're passengers." She gave the man their newly-won tickets, and her seal.

"Lady Bei Fong! Forgive me, but why wouldn't you just board with everyone else?" he groveled.

"My companion here almost lost our tickets. We were a little late for the whole waiting-in-line thing." Without looking, Toph to the man. "Now, why don't you take me to my stateroom so I can recover from our harrowing entrance?"

"Of course, my lady."


End file.
